Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-17

I, with my back to the window, stood spell
bound and silent.
Yes, it was Mike--huge, winsome Mike
and | must greet him as best I might.
s'Mr. Vivian" faltered, s1-I had no
idea Is was YOU"
Two huge strides brought him to my
side.
"Hannah!'' he shouted; "Miss Grey!
Why, was sent to Miss Sinclair's! Have
come to the wrong house?"
The young people few to him open
mouthed about this wonderful thing, and
chartered, mercifully for me, till had re-
covered my balance little.
From time to time felt his eye upon
me, and grew trife hot and angry under
it. Why should he look al me not in that
way? He had been married for years, and
well / had settled into my old maid
ways-and I had 'got over it," as the say
ing goes.
As if we ever lost 'the marks of that
which once had BEEN"
AS they all trooped along together, he
turned back at the door, and grasping my
hand tightly said, "why did you say mot
at home n1ne,' long years ago?"
81 didn't!' exclaimed Indignantly, in
a stifed voice, "you never came"
Didn't II" he answered, and then he
was gone.
That night slept not at all. Back
ward and forward that refrain rang in
my ears. Didn't II" "Didnt II" Oh,
Mike, oh faithful hearted Mike, have
been wronging you all these years? Did
you come, did y0u?-and I never knew it
and now it is too late.
Does she love you, I wonder, as I did
as do, God help me, l must live it
down and crush it under foot but for one
night will allow myself the JOY Of know
ing that he did cOme-he did come; the
rest can not even guess at.
Happy, miserable and restless, and yet
soothed, came down the next morning
and found could settle down to nothing
in the way of business. The piano stood
where it had been placed the day before
for the girls, and after many vain efforts
to attend properly to writing which ought
to have been done, I wandered up to
it and sat me down listlessiy, trying to
pick up the thread Of ell that child's SYM
pathetic fingers had done such full JUS
tice to; and as I played my heart grew
lighter, and by degrees my Memberships
modulated off into lighter music, and
found myself beating time once more
with my foot to that Waldteuffel walse
which had been dearer to me than all be-
side. How I played it! I threw my
heart, my whole heart into it; and as /
came to the final chord I suddenly flung
my arms upon the desk in front of me
and burst into such passion of weeping
as had never in all my life given way to.
How long I wept do not know; but I
know that then and there prayed with
all my might for strength to root out, for
good and all, this cruel absorbing, dis
graceful love, and rising with one last
strangIed sob ard firm determination
that not another should escape me now
Or ever again, I saw the door opening
quietly, and in one moment Mike had
hold of both rsy hands. In vain I tried
to pull them away. They were gently
but firmly gripped, and his dear voice
spoke rapidly III agitated loving tones.
"Don't speak, darling; I know what you
think. Let me speak first for the sake
of the dear old times. Let me clear up
matters first. I am not the blackguard
you think me-God forbid. Sit down,
and let me speak"
What could do but obey him? I sat
down, and as he spoke my heart leaped
and danced within me till I could have
shouted for JOY, and yet I felt ashamed
of my delight. For had he not gone
through deep waters, dear fellow? The
poor, little, frivolous childish wife had
lived but one year, had wrought such
havoc in that short time that it we're
more charitable to tell nothing of it to
any who did not know the miserable
story already. Peace be with her poor
thing. I need think of her no more.
Then came the explanation Of our own
misfortunes. He had gone straight from
my door the previous evening down to
the dear old home to see my brother, and
arrive at that explanation It was SIM
pie enough.
My good slster-in-law on that eventful
morning nine years before, had been
frightened about one of her infants, and
had hidden the servants to admit no one.
"Not for the young ladies' mum? not
for Miss Hannah" the butter had asked
and she in her simplicity, poor soul, had
said and believed. NMiss Hannah will
not wish to see anyone, either" and so
the answer had been given full in his
face when Mike had called.
"Miss Hannah Grey not at home?
You are sure?" he had asked incred-
uously.
"Quite sure, sir; my h'orders were that
Miss Hannah, pertickler, didn't wish to
see no on who might CALL Mr.. Grey, sir?
Mr.. Grey is h'out."
The story has taken long to tell. but
hung upon every word of it, and as 1t
came to an end the honest, loving grey
eyes looked full in mine, and my hands
were once more imprisoned. "You know
nv story now, my darling; if I thought
that you could-that you would"
"Bless you! She won't mind" broke in
upon Us in hoarsely confidential tones,
and sprInging up, we faced round toward
the window whence came the startling
sounds.
Mixes protecting arm was round me in
an instant, and Polly, swinging violently
head downward from the ring inside his
cage, shrieked aloud: Hannah! Hannah!
You don't mind do your
And this time didn't.
"My family is very ancient" remarked
an English tourist in Ohio. SIT dates
back to the crusades." $50 does mine,"
replied the Buckeye. my mother was
Crusader herself. And what noble stand
they made against the LIQUOR traffic tOOr